Our Staff
Integrated Diabetes Services features a multi-disciplinary team of Certified Diabetes Educators (CDEs) with a true passion and talent for diabetes care. All Integrated Diabetes Services clinicians live with diabetes personally.
Gary Scheiner MS, CDE
Owner and Clinical Director
An award-winning Certified Diabetes Educator, Masters-level Exercise Physiologist and person with type-1 diabetes since 1985, Gary Scheiner has dedicated his professional life to improving the lives of people with insulin-dependent diabetes.
Gary earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis and a Master of Science from Benedictine University. He received his diabetes training with the world-renowned Joslin Diabetes Center. Gary serves on the faculty of Children With Diabetes and is an active volunteer for the American Diabetes Association, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Diabetes Exercise & Sports Association, and Setebaid Diabetes Camps. He also serves on the clinical advisory boards for several diabetes device manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies.
Gary has authored five books: You Can Control Diabetes (1997), Think Like A Pancreas (2004), The Ultimate Guide to Accurate Carb Counting (2007), Get Control of Your Blood Sugar (2009) and Think Like A Pancreas, 2nd edition (2011) as well as dozens of articles for consumer and trade magazines and diabetes websites. He speaks at local, national and international conferences on a multitude of topics in diabetes care.
Gary has received multiple awards for his diabetes education and teaching innovations from the American Diabetes Association and American Association of Diabetes Educators. He was honored to be first runner-up for Diabetes Educator of the Year in 2011.
A devoted husband and father of five, Gary enjoys exercising (especially basketball, bicycling, running and kickboxing) and cheering on his local Philadelphia sports teams.
Gary’s e-mail is gary@integrateddiabetes.com
Karen Franey RD, LDN, CDE
Registered Dietitian, Type-1 & Type-2 Specialist
Karen Franey graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Nutrition from Penn State University and achieved her Registered Dietitian license in 1985. As mom of a child with type-1 diabetes, Karen also has extensive expertise in the finer points of blood glucose regulation and living with diabetes.
With her first-hand knowledge of insulin management and pump therapy, Karen earned her CDE (Certified Diabetes Educator) certification in 2002 and has been working in diabetes education ever since. Although she is comfortable teaching all aspects of diabetes self-care, Karen is particularly accomplished in the fields of carbohydrate counting, weight management, healthy meal planning and specialized diets.
A long-time resident of Reading, Pennsylvania, Karen is a devoted wife and mother to four children. She is an adamant supporter of the Penn State Nittany Lions. She enjoys traveling, knitting, and watching her kids participate in their various sports.
Karen's e-mail is karen@integrateddiabetes.com.
Jennifer Smith, RD, LD, CDE
Dietitian, Pump/CGM Specialist
Jennifer Smith joined Integrated Diabetes Services’ clinical team in 2011 as its first “remote” staff member. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Jennifer has more than 10 years of experience working with people to improve their diabetes management. Prior to moving to Madison, she had the opportunity to work at one of the Nation’s top hospitals – Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC. As a key member of the Endocrine team, she instructed clients with type 1 diabetes and served as the team’s pump/CGM guru. In her career, Jennifer has had the pleasure of working with many diabetes types and personality types, and understands that everyone’s needs and interests are unique.
Jennifer has also lived with type 1 diabetes since she was a child, so she has first-hand knowledge of the day-to-day events that affect diabetes management. She attended a diabetes-specific sports training camp in 2008 where she discovered her passion for achieving fitness goals while living healthfully with diabetes. In 2009 she successfully completed her first triathlon. This brought a deeper understanding of athletic training requirements and the importance of nutrition to realize athletic goals.
Jennifer holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Nutrition and Biology from the University of Wisconsin. She is a Registered (and Licensed) Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, and Certified Trainer on most makes/models of insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring systems. She is an active member of the American Diabetes Association, American Association of Diabetes Educators and Team WILD (We Inspire Life with Diabetes). She is also a contributing author for the Diabetes Sisters website. As a talented dietitian, diabetes educator, athlete and person with diabetes, Jennifer is in a unique position to assist Integrated Diabetes Services’ intensively managed clients.
Jennifer and her husband Nathan, an Ironman in his own right, share their home with their dog Fillmore and cat Cornelius. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys running, cycling, swimming, yoga, and kayaking. She also loves hiking with Nathan and Fillmore. A culinary “experimenter”, she is fond of cooking and baking, with an eye on vegetarian options. Tops on her annual “to-do” list is to travel to strange and exotic places outside the US.
Jennifer’s e-mail is jenny@integrateddiabetes.com
Debbie Liebman, BSN, RN
Debbie does more than run the day-to-day operations of the office. She is also the "office mom", offering up advice on everything from how to manage cold symptoms to where to get a good bite to eat.
A former administrator and graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Debbie joined Integrated Diabetes Services in July, 2004. She brings a special combination of organization, technical skills and a warm, caring personality. Debbie is responsible for scheduling, medical correspondence, product orders, charting, database maintenance and lots of miscellaneous "stuff". She also makes sure that the IDS clinical staff checks their blood sugars regularly and eats when they should. Much of Debbie's diabetes instincts come from caring for her daughter, Ellen, who has had diabetes since 1997 and now wears an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor. Debbie and her husband, Sam, live in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. A JDRF volunteer for many years, Debbie coordinates the highly successful IDS Walk Team at the Walk to Cure Diabetes and serves on the Secondary School Committee at the University of Pennsylvania.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, antiquing, rooting for the Phillies and spending time with family, friends and grand-dog Jake, an eight-pound fourteen year-old diabetic Maltese. Debbie's e-mail is Debbie@integrateddiabetes.com.
Karen Bellopede
Karen is the other "warm voice"on the phone (besides Debbie) that most people speak to and always has a smile for visitors. Here's her story:
When the first of her two children were born, she "retired" from the working world to be a full time mom - albeit with lots of volunteer work at her children's school. As her kids got older, she volunteered at Senior Safety Project in Media, an organization that assists senior citizens who are victims of crime. She then spent 21 years at Backe Communications as administrative assistant to the president of the company.
Karen has been with Integrated Diabetes Services since March of 2008. She is an easygoing person and likes the fun, relaxed environment at IDS. Karen has a passion for helping others and feels that working at IDS fills that personal need. Karen enjoys the social aspects of her work and likes getting to know everyone who walks in the door.
Karen's personal interests include reading, cross-stitching, crocheting and listening to jazz. She loves to play with her four grandchildren, and enjoys going to the Jersey shore (near Avalon) for weekends during the summer. Karen is also a traveler; she has been to Hawaii, Aruba, and Alaska. She would love to go back to Hawaii (and live there if she could). Her future plans include trips to Ireland and Italy.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call toll-free:
(USA) 877-735-3648.